Time-Honored Traditions of Celebrating Women, from New York City to the Tatra Mountains

By Thommy Pantis

Growing up in 21st-century Eastern Europe under the shadow of former communist regimes, I witnessed how certain traditions and mentalities endured across generations. The collective culture had instilled a sense of pride and responsibility for one's neighbor, country, and various higher causes — such as Labor Day on May 1st or the Spartakiáda gymnastic choreographies, but especially the triumph of the socialist revolution (7th of November in USSR) and the victory of peace over fascism (28th of August in Slovakia, 23rd of August in Romania, 22nd of July in Poland, 8th of May in Europe, etc.). While many of these celebrations have faded since communism's fall, some traditions remain vibrant in public memory, even without official sanction.

International Women's Day: Origins and Evolution

International Women's Day exemplifies such an enduring tradition. As an elementary school pupil, I recall every 8th of March when we presented fragrant bouquets ("kytica kvetov") to our female teachers. We dutifully remembered to bring similar gifts to our mothers, and occasionally boys would offer flowers to girls in their classroom, a gesture of budding affection. But how did March 8th become the day to celebrate women? And what unique contribution has Slovakia made to this heritage?

The powerful phrase "women's rights are human rights" positions the women's movement within the broader evolution of civil liberties. Many rights we now take for granted—freedom of speech, movement, equal opportunity, and social security—were once unattainable dreams. In the mid-19th century, the abolition of slavery in America and land serfdom in Eastern Europe catalyzed unprecedented migration from rural villages to urban centers, where emerging industries awaited eager hands. This is why Slovak peasants from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire crossed the Atlantic in huge ocean liners, the likes of RMS Titanic, to be employed in America's steel mills, oil rigs, and coal mines of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio.

Women too found purpose in these new environments, particularly in textile manufacturing. However, working conditions were often harrowing. Powerful factory owners maintained strict control over contracts, working hours, and profits. Sinful greed inevitably led to tragedies: the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in New York City on March 25, 1911, claimed 146 lives—mostly young immigrant women trapped behind locked doors in the burning building. The worst industrial disaster in US history spurred critical workplace safety reforms and energized the labor and women's movements. The slogan "Bread and Roses" was used to advocate for fair wages and dignified working conditions, a reference to the miracles performed by 13th century Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, who did charity work for poor people. According to legend, she secretly smuggled bread in a basket, and when caught in the act of almsgiving, the inside of her basket was full of roses.

The red rose in a clenched fist became a symbol for struggle. Capitalizing on the grievances of the textile workers, in 1909, the U.S. Socialist Party established National Woman's Day on the last Sunday of February to promote women's voting rights. Similar activism happened in Europe during the 1910 Copenhagen conference of the Second International. Clara Zetkin of the Social Democratic Party in Germany proposed the establishment of a Women's Day, which would be celebrated every year to demand the right of women to vote.

But the most important origin of Women's Day emerges from the Bolshevik February Revolution against the Czar of Imperial Russia. On March 8, 1917 (February 24 in the old Julian calendar), factory women in Petrograd initiated a strike protesting bread shortages and the male casualties of World War I, an act that ignited the Russian Revolution, which would topple the monarchy. In 1922, Lenin proclaimed March 8th as International Women's Day to commemorate women's pivotal role in the revolution.

These recurring political demands suggest that March 8th was a day created in support of universal suffrage, meaning the right to vote in political elections afforded to all citizens regardless of sex or economic class. In the aftermath of the Great War, voting rights were finally afforded to women as well. For example, the new German Reich (also referred to as "Weimar Republic") enacted universal suffrage on November 30, 1919, the newly formed Czechoslovakia did the same in the Constitution adopted on February 29, 1920, and in the United States of America, Congress passed the 19th amendment to the Constitution on August 18, 1920. Decades later, the United Nations officially recognized March 8th as International Women's Day in 1975, followed by the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985). The tradition had traveled full circle to its origins.

Women's Day in Slovakia

When did Slovakia embrace March 8th as a holiday? Before World War II, only left-wing political circles celebrated it outside the USSR. After the war, as communism took root across Eastern Europe, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic officially inaugurated "Medzinárodný deň žien" (MDŽ) as a state-endorsed celebration.

While the 1950s emphasized political themes like women's struggle for peace, the observance gradually evolved into a joyful celebration. Women received a day to dance and celebrate, while schoolchildren marked March 8th by reciting heartfelt poems to their teachers instead of attending regular lessons. In workplaces, women typically received crimson carnations, and tables overflowed with delicacies—sandwiches, cakes, and drinks. Even Presidents Antonín Novotný and Gustav Husák participated in public celebrations, with working women honored at official galas.

Recognizing Slovak Women's Contributions

After 1989's political transformation, public opinion diverged on the holiday's authenticity. Some embraced it as a carefree celebration, while others reframed it a call for continued gender equality activism. Nevertheless, today the tradition survives most visibly through men presenting flowers to women. Flower shops consistently record March 8th among their busiest days. Gift giving is a tell-tale sign of romantic courtship, but on March 8th, men can reach out to any women in their lives whom they want to surprise. This behavior fits the zeitgeist, since Women's Day occurs between Valentine's Day (February 14th) and Mother's Day (the second Sunday in May).

More recently, special institutions were created with the help of mass media to highlight successful women. Inspired by an annual poll conducted by one of Slovakia's leading women's magazines, "Slovenka", the prestigious Slovak Women of the Year ("Slovenka roka") awards have reimagined the tradition of celebrating women's achievements since 2009. This significant event, graced by Slovakia's President in person, honors women in nine categories who contribute meaningfully to the nation's advancement—distinguished experts in their professions: arts, health, science, sports, education, and humanitarian efforts. The awards celebrate women who masterfully balance professional excellence with domestic family responsibilities, a stiff challenge in our modern times.

Women's Organizations and Ethnic Cultural Heritage

What about the countless Slovak women who acted diligently ("usilovne" in Slovak, from the word "sila," meaning physical and mental strength), but did not live to see such awards, nor any International Women's Day celebrations during their lifetime — even though they may well have deserved similar recognition?

In the wake of the nationalist revolutions of 1848, cultural movements blossomed among the Habsburg Empire's diverse ethnicities. Matica Slovenská, established in 1863 in Martin, emerged as Slovakia's foremost national cultural institution, creating frameworks for Slovak scholarship, science, museums, libraries, and archives.

Under Matica's guidance, Slovakia's pioneering women's rights organization, Živena, was founded in 1869 to nurture "daughters of Slovakia" as diligent homemakers and "zealous daughters of the homeland". This gendered approach aligned with nationalist ideology, expecting women to cultivate a patriotic consciousness within family circles.

A remarkable legacy of this women's organization lives on in the artistic ensemble Lúčnica, founded in 1948. Renowned for vibrant folk dances and elaborate traditional costumes ("kroj" in Slovak), Lúčnica performs from Bratislava's National Theater to international stages. This folk art requires meticulous planning and rehearsal, eliciting audience appreciation through captivating beauty. In particular, the choreographic dances between a man and a woman symbolize harmony, trust, and joy of life. By dancing to folk music, patriotism can be fired up in one's heart, as per the saying: "keep watch over your heart since here are the wellsprings of life."

In our era of pervasive globalization, many different trends compete for people's hearts and minds. And cultivating a national consciousness among the youth presents formidable challenges. Throughout history, ethnic expression has faced similar distress, so we can draw hope from our ancestors' strong beliefs. For example, Matica Slovenská was suppressed by Hungarian authorities in 1875 and revived only after World War I in 1919. During this dark period, Živena remained the sole Slovak educational organization permitted to operate, being viewed as less politically threatening. Hence, a women's organization came to be called "guardian of the national heart."

Slovak Women in the National Movement

This history of Matica Slovenská and Živena brings to mind the following proverb: "Though a woman is nothing without man, man is nothing without woman, and though woman came from man, so does every man come from a woman." In this regard, the life of Jozef Miloslav Hurban and his wife Anna, née Jurkovičová, is revealing. While her husband Jozef became the first chairman of the Slovak National Council in 1848 and crusaded for their people's rights during a botched armed uprising, Anna took refuge and hid away to take care of their newborn son, the first of 9 children they would bring into the world!

Commemorating Anna Jurkovičová-Hurbanová's bicentennial birthday, Matica Slovenská designated 2024 as the Year of Slovak Women in the National Movement ("rok slovenských žien v národnom hnutí").

Through scientific conferences, museum exhibitions, and other educational programs, Matica highlighted the lives of historic Slovak women from the 19th and 20th centuries, whose legacies continue to live on through their remarkable achievements. This list includes personalities such as the first Slovak actress Anna Jurkovičová, the first Slovak female physician Mária Bellová, and the first Slovak female pilot Ľudmila Šapošnikova; female writers in the realism style Elena Šoltésová, Terézia Vansová, Mária Rázusová-Martáková, and Božena Slančíková-Timrava; female authors of children's books Ľudmila Podjavorinská and Mária-Rázusová Martáková; actresses Anna Halašová and Naďa Hejná; the "first Slovak feminist" Hana Gregorová and other representatives of the women's emancipation movement like Amália Francisciová, Elena Šoltésová, and Zora Jesenská. Many of these women have achieved European importance, and Matica Slovenská hopes they will inspire today's younger generation to follow their dreams.

Honoring Women Year-Round

While celebrating women on a specific day certainly has merit, we should thoughtfully reflect on the authenticity and the intentions behind such observances. More importantly, why confine our appreciation to a single day or year? We can express sincere love and respect for the women in our lives—mothers, sisters, wives, daughters—throughout all seasons, whether through thoughtful gifts, attentive listening, or daily acts expressing genuine affection. That is to say, "Ľúbim ťa" (I love you).

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